Coal News - Published on Wed, 12 Dec 2018

Platts quoted a spokeswoman for owner MACH Energy said that the 10.5 million tonnes per year Mount Pleasant thermal coal project in Australia remains on schedule to see first coal this month. "At this stage we are on track for first coal," she said, adding that a more detailed update will be available next week. The project, which was bought from Rio Tinto in August 2016 for USD 220.7 million plus royalties, is based in Australia's thermal coal dominant region of the Hunter Valley and is planned to export via the Port of Newcastle.

First production from Mount Pleasant had previously been scheduled by MACH for the first quarter of 2018. And, earlier in the year, rail operator Aurizon announced a haulage agreement with MACH for 8 million mt/year from the mine to port as well as domestic power stations, and, at the time, said it expected railings to begin in the July-December period for a term of 10 years.